Grip training - grip strength for deadlift

Grab the axle as hard as you can. Okay, maybe, just maybe, that was a vivid imagination for throttling that evil beast called the deadlift by those who were on the wrong side of the mastered grip.Whatever the case, if you're a powerlifter, bodybuilder, or athlete in another sport, the iron grip is the link between you and the big deadlift.

Get a grip

While the grip training we'll describe here is primarily designed to improve your deadlift, it will help you in all exercises used in the gym. The basic law is, "Hard-working muscles activate adjacent muscles and, if they are a direct part of the working muscles, increase their strength."

The bench press is a great example; the harder you squeeze the axis of the dumbbell, the harder you'll be able to activate your triceps and the stronger your bench will be.

So with a stronger grip, we find that we can perform the deadlift faster off the floor because we're not worried about opening our palms and failing to lift. Therefore, we can conclude that a hard grip is the key to reaching your potential in terms of dynamic strength and absolute power.

Still need convincing?

Between the historic 1003 and 1008 (457kg) pound competition lifts, Andy Bolton failed five 1000 pound lifts. The cause was the same in all cases: He was unable to hold the axle. In the approximately 30 months between these two lifts, the only thing in his training that changed dramatically was his grip training.

What followed are methods conducive to converting weaknesses into strengths. If you watch the video of the 1008 pound lift, you will see that he keeps the axis locked in for a long time with no problem.

Training frequency for the grip

We train four times a week. We train deadlift on Wednesdays and grip on Saturdays. We recommend a similar approach with approximately 72 hours between deadlift and grip training. This approach will keep your hands fresh for both activities and allow you to maximize strength. Make no mistake, the grip training we describe involves full-body exercises that are both physically and mentally demanding.

We attempted to perform these exercises after a specific deadlift workout on Wednesday and found it inefficient to perform everything in one training unit.

Grip training methodology

For powerlifting, alternating different numbers of sets and reps has proven to be very effective. To create continuous physical development and prevent stereotyping, the arms must be subjected to different stimuli. This means that no one exercise or one scheme of sets and reps will work forever.

With these principles in mind, the following methods work very effectively:

• Timed hold - short time, medium time, long time
• Multiple sets with low repetitions (3 reps in 5 sets)
• Multiple sets with more reps (3 sets of 10 reps)
• Mix of the above methods (e.g. heavy sets for 3 reps, immediate 30% weight reduction, and holding for as long as possible)

Powerlifting competitions include three deadlift attempts and allow you to go for a fourth attempt if you are breaking a world record. Each of the attempts lasts only a few seconds. For this reason, beyond the methods calculated above, we have found that holds in the 10 second range (short holds) and multiple sets with low repetitions yield ideal results.

If you are competing in another sport, such as strongman events, which require load holding endurance for each discipline, then use longer hold times (around a minute) and use sets with a higher rep count.

Exercises for steel grip training

Two-inch deadlift axle

Obviously you need a thick axle! If you don't own a fat axle, we recommend buying a pair of "FatGripz" (translator's note: I imagine these are similar to "sleeves" for the axle, achieving a larger diameter at the grip points). These will help you to make a fat axle out of a regular axle. They are also easy to use, stable and cheap.

Place the axle on the logs or in a power rack so that you start raised from above your knees. Then simply perform the movement as in a classic deadlift. The only difference is that you use a double overhand grip on each repetition.

Use any of the techniques listed above. It is up to you if you use magnesium, without magnesium you will obviously get a harder execution. For variety in your workout, you can wrap a piece of cloth or foam around the axle. This makes the exercise even harder to perform.

Two-hand grip

Use an Olympic axle, placing one end with a small disc on a bench. The disc is there to keep the axle from lifting or slipping off the bench.

Slide the two discs on the other side of the axle with the smooth end out. It is important to smooth the end out, otherwise the exercise will lose its effectiveness. You will be pressing to stop the discs from falling.

When performing the exercise, assume a semi-sumo stance, one step away from the discs. Stance the same as when performing the deadlift, back arched, upper back relaxed and perform the prescribed number of reps for the prescribed number of sets or length of hold.

Get more

In both grip exercises, you're trying to squeeze the axle or disc as hard as possible in each repetition. We find that most people don't perform this and it helps a lot if they are constantly verbally cued to perform it correctly. After a few weeks, the ability to press will become more instinctive, and then once you return to the classic axis, holding it will seem like a piece of cake.

We liked to alternate weekly practice on the thick axis with grip practice on the discs. It counteracts the stereotype and keeps your hands ready for the next exercise. We also change the pattern of sets and reps each week. This allows us to break records on a weekly basis.

Eight-week grip strength program

1. Week - strong axis, lift from knees, 5 reps
2. Week - two-hand grip training with discs, 10 seconds of hold
3. Week - strong axis, lift from knees without magnesium, heavy sets of 3 reps, then one set of 8 reps
4. Week - two-hand press training, singles, weight drop, and two 10-second holds
5. Week - strong axis, lift from the knees with a cloth (towel) around the axis, 3x8
6. Week - two-handed squeeze training, 3x6, then single hold for maximum time
7. Week - recovery - no grip training
8. Week - strong axis, lift from knees, work sets into singles, then 20 reps

As you have noticed, with a little imagination you can break many personal bests in these two exercises.

For variety in your workout, don't be afraid to use snatches wrapped around the axle to grip occasionally, or make up any other exercise you like, such as high rep single arm pull-ups to the waist or high rep shoulder shrugs. And lest I forget, we've added a week of no grip practice to allow your arms to recover. Just make sure you use a strong axis and two-hand grip training in most cases.

Summary

There are many ways to build a strong grip. Although the two exercises mentioned in this article are among the ones that will allow you to accomplish a dream, such as the 1008 pound deadlift.

They were used by the entire lifting team at Rall's Gym in Leeds, England. That team eventually included one 1008 pound lifter, an 800 pound lifter, and over 10 athletes with deadlifts around 600 - 799 pounds.

Along with Professor Verkoshansky, "special physical training must have similarities in the major disciplines of competition." And what better way to gain specific strength for the deadlift than through practicing deadlifts with weights much heavier for grip than the usual deadlift on a standard axis.

By Andy Bolton and Elliot Newman